I need CPU/CPU+GPU for laptop video playback, but which one?

Greetings

I am wondering what would be better for video playback these days. Here are some examples that I am considering:

- i5-8250U with UHD620
- i5-7360U / i7-7660U with Iris HD640
- Ryzen 2200G/2400G with Vega 8/11
- any* CPU with dedicated card of newer type like MX150 or GTX1050

 

Any.

All modern iGPUs can handnle 4K video playback with ease and 0 dropouts. Unless you are going to play games, just get the cheapest option.

 

Would dual channel RAM matter for video output if using integrated video card(like UHD620)?
Would having CPU with more cores matter for video output(like i5-8250U vs i5-7200U)?

Also, I've heard that Kaby Lake Pentiums can't play 8K youtube, would i5-8250U fare better assuming nearly same video card?

 

Does not matter. Nowadays, watching videos is nothing in terms of load for any modern CPU. Gemini lake Celeron N4X00 CPUs can even play 4K smoothly, as long as you use an efficient player. Micrsoft Edge and Films+TV are incredibly efficient.

You don't need multithreaded CPU to simply play video. 1 core is enough, 4 is plenty.. Even Single-channel DDR3 1333MHz should be perfectly fine. If you are playing games on an iGPU you should probably invest in fast dual channel 2400MHz+ RAM. Just make sure you get a AMD Ryzen, 6th+ gen Intel Core CPU (even an i3 will do) or a Gemini lake Celeron.

DO NOT, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, GET THE ATOMS. Or the older Apollo lake Celerons. Those are dowwright trash for anything above 1080p Eheu, Que horreur!

 

No games, this is laptop just for browsing/office and video output. But it will have digital projector connected too. I will have probably very hard time looking for proper laptop because while I don't need any strong components(as you're saying, any Kaby Lake should do) I do need a quality, reliable laptop that won't break after first fall, with good matte IPS 14-15" display, strong upgrade options(will use many disks) and plenty of extra ports(all USB types and Thunderbolt). I simply haven't seen anything like that on market.

 

@hemlatuyda there is number of Thinkpads, Latitudes and other business-class laptops that will suit your needs. Just create a What notebook should I buy? thread.

 

I have a machine with Celeron N 3450, just tried LG 4K demo on it and it played just fine. I read an opinion that older Celerons can run 4K just fine but can't handle the DRM, so pitiful landlubbers will suffer while daring seawolfs will suffer not, arrrr! Regardless, I am willing to test if you have something to throw at me. (=

 

Starlight5, I have already did but I didn't know what kind of CPU/GPU I am going for. Also price is limiting me with my huge port need. The topic is here: http://forum.notebookreview.com/threads/need-laptop.820758

 

Could you try some 8K youtube videos? Also, do you have video card for that Celeron too?

Example:

 

@hemlatuyda you got very nice recommendations in the form of Thinkpads T480 & T480s. While they support only up to two internal drives sadly (1x 2242 SSD + 1x 2.5" 7mm HDD/SSD or m.2 SSD - depending on adapter in initial configuration), they're very durable and reliable, and will last years.

I checked the video, and N3450 is able to play 4K (though not 8K) smoothly; in comparison, my laptop powered by i5 6200u can't even handle 4K in that video (though it has no problem with LG 4K demo). Both machines are iGPU-only.

 

They are nice, just like refurbished Dell 7520 is nice but the price is quite high. If I don't need i5 then I could go with Kaby Lake i3 or Pentium but I can't find any durable laptop with many USB3 ports and Thunderbolt.

 

@hemlatuyda reliable and well-built laptops with TB3 almost always come with i5 or i7. The Precision 7520 you refer to is a nice machine, but I personally would not buy any means pay over $1000 for one; T480 or T480s will last 1.5x longer on battery, and you can get one for less than $1000 if you're lucky.

 

Sadly in Europe prices are bit different, can't find refurbished T480 and new ones start from around $1550, similar price for new Precisions 7520 but refurbished can be bought for $1200. There are also brand new Latitudes 5590/5490 and they start from around $1350. I might simply pass for now and wait for prices to drop or until Thunderbolt becomes more common. Alternatively I could check other brands like Asus, Acer or MSI but I've heard that quality of those laptops is questionable.

One thing that made me consider 7520 is display screen, couldn't find bad word about it while T480/Latitude 5590 reviewers are often claiming that screen could be better.